United Foreign Missionary Society. 179 commission; not for the purpose of su- | which does not accord with their own perceding the natural faculties of the experience. What, then, would the human mind; but in order to give effi- philosopher think were he ridiculed as cacy to motives otherwise inefficient; an enthusiast, because he speaks of a to communicate strength to those that sublime pleasure arising from the disare unable to overcome temptation; to covery of truth? Would he not conrenew and sanctify the soul. It is not clude, at once, that those who advance maintained, that divine grace destroys the charge were totally ignorant of or sets aside the mental powers, or that truth, to the discovery of which that it annihilates the natural liberty he has devoted his mind? What then, of man as a moral being. If it be ask- though the believer be stigmatized as ed, what proof can any individual an enthusiast by an ignorant and ungive us that he enjoys this divine in-believing world? Let him resist their Hluence? We answer, he can give us the most satisfactory of all proofs in a holy and virtuous life. If the necessity of holiness in this point of view be set aside, then indeed the floodgates of licentiousness, and the worst kinds of enthusiasm, are opened; then, indeed, men may pretend what they choose; and advance many pompous claims to a supernatural guidance. But to every pretender of this kind, Scripture authorizes us to put the question, "What dost thou more than others?" upon favorite maxims with vigor and perseverance. Let him maintain the doctrine of divine agency in all its extent. Let him meditate on divine truth, and expect a holy delight and joy in so doing. Let the love of God rule in our hearts; and let us prove by our lives, that the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, although they suit not the taste of carnal men, are, nevertheless, doctrines according to godliness.' UNION MISSION. The journal of the Union Mission, for Sept. states, that the family has adopted the regulation of raising at UNITED F. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. We find a summary of the intelligence con That divine truth when cordially re-taing in the Home department of the March ceived, should produce certain effects number of the American Missionary Register, the soul, is not in any respect ir-in the Boston Recorder of which we avail rational. Has the contemplation of ourselves. God in his moral attributes, and in his endeared relations to us, no tendency to elevate and ennoble the mind? Has the thought of him who came to save the lost, of that grace which the Gos-five o'clock in the morning, that they pel has communicated, of those joys may early commence the day with which it sets before us, no tendency to God. Col. Arbuckle, with a few delight the mind, to invigorate its en- Cherokee Chiefs, was to visit the Osergies, to brighten its hopes? Do not ages in Sept. for the purpose of setthe Scriptures speak of a 'peace which tling the difficulties between the two passeth all understanding? Of a joy nations. Col. Arbuckle and the Inwhich is unspeakable and full of glo- dian Chiefs visited the family and the ry? Of a hope which entereth into school, on their way from Fort Smith that within the vail? Where shall we to the Osages. The former is friend find any thing like enthusiasm in the ly to the Missionaries and points the idea, that divine truth should not only Indian Chiefs to the advantages of be known and believed, but that it education. The Embassy returned should be also felt and enjoyed? The from their visit to the Osages, withfact seems to be; men advance a charge out effecting a reconciliation; but it of enthusiasm against every thing is hoped, that the nations will not 180 United Foreign Missionary Society. stance a living child, two years old was buried with its mother, which he says is the first instance of infanticide, of which they have heard. The Big Soldier not long since died of engage in war, and that other exertions || has been a mortal sickness among the may be more successful for the perma- Indians. In one little camp, containnent establishment of peace. Measuersing twenty, eleven died. In one inhave been adopted, at the request of an Osage Chief and several French men who have Indian wives, for the settlement of Messrs. Chapman and Requa, among them for the purposes of education and general improve-grief for the loss of his wife; refusing ment. The health of the Mission to leave her grave or to take food. family is not good. Mr. Redfield, The Journal of the Mission for Sept. Mrs. Fuller, Mrs Chapman, and Mrs. & Oct. accuses a white man of steal Requa, are ill. The school was ex-ing a horse from them which he thought amined Sept. 30th, and three of the children were able to read in the Testament, and the others had made good progress. The annual Report to the Secretary of War states, that the number of the family is fifteen; that the number of native children in the school, is twelve; fourteen having been belonged to the Indians. The Missionaries state, that the whites habitually steal from the Indians, which provokes the Indians to steal from the whites; and this leads the whites to kill the Indians, and the Indians in retaliation to kill the whites. The Journal states that in Oct. the family received a visit from a few Kickapoos and Delawares who appear much more decent and respectable not only been guilty of infanticide; than the Osages. The Osages have but have lately suffered an old man to die without food or attendants. Four infant children have been ré TUSCARORA MISSION. added and nine taken away, during the last year; that these children are lovely in their disposition and conduct; that the women of the nation are learning to spin and weave; and that a young Chief was the first man in the nation to break away from its usages and commence manual labor. Two Osage infants have been adopted. The study of the language has cently baptized in the Mission family. been pursued under great embarrass ments; but those whose duty it was to learn, beginning to speak it. The Crane, the Society has employed Rev. Since the resignation of Rev. Mr. quantity of land enclosed exceeds 100 acres; the Cotton crop last year of this station. A letter from him Mr. Smith of Lewiston to take charge was good; the progress in building dated the 5th of February states, that mills and houses, in burning brick there is an increasing attention to the and lime, has been impeded by sick ness, and by the intelligence from means of grace; particularly to public New-York, of the Society's embar-worship and family instruction. ressments. The expenses of the establishment, last year amounted to $6,200: of this sum, $5000 have been received from the Society in New-religious families should be selected York. The Report suggests the im- for them while employed in learning these trades. portance of having an Agent appointed by the government to reside among the Osages. GREAT OSAGE MISSION. A letter from Dr. Belcher, to the Domestic Secretary, states that there He also states, that a number of young men and boys are anxious to learn the mechanical arts, and that CATARAUGUS MISSION. A letter was received from Mr. Thaver dated Dec. 31, 1823. The Mission house was not yet completed, "and the children had been dismissed Memorial, of A. B. C. F. M. to Congress. for a time from the school; for the mission family and the carpenters were obliged to live in the same apartment of the new house, after the removal of the family from the house which they had hired. The 18th of Dec. was observed as a day of Thanksgiving, and the Christmas Festival was reli giously observed. Capt. Strong, the most influential chief in the pagan party at Cataraugus, has renounced paganism and placed his children under the care of the missionaries. From the New-York Observer. 181 Of the Americam Board of Commissioners för To the Honorable the Senate and GENTLEMEN, At the annual meeting of this Board, at Boston, in Sept. last, the subscribers were appointed a committee, "to prepare, and present, a memorial to the government of the United States, The number of Indian children in on the general subject of the civilizathe family is 27. Their progress intion and moral improvement of the knowledge is good. The girls are Indian tribes, within the limits of our rapidly gaining a knowledge of national territory; stating, summarily, household business. Donations of what this Board, and other boards for money and boxes of clothing, from similar purposes, of different denomthe State of New-York, are acknowl-inations, have done, and are doing, edged with much gratitude. MISSION AT MACHINAW. for the benefit of the said Indians; the success of their efforts, hitherto, and the encouraging prospects, as to the future, provided means are furnished adequate to the support of their contemplated operations, and soliciting such pecuniary aid from government, as in their wisdom, they shall see fit to grant." This Mission was established last autumn, and the Rev. Mr. Ferry was appointed to take the superintendance of it. On the 18th of Oct. Mr. Ferry and his wife arrived at Mackinaw, where they were received by a crowd of friends, who had been three months In fulfilment of our commission, waiting impatiently to hear whether we beg leave respectfully, to state to the Mission would be established. your honorable body, that a prominMr. Stewart, the agent of the Amer-ent object of the board we represent, ican Fur Company, gave them a home is to extend the blessings of civilizaat his house. A school was com- tion and Christianity, in all their va menced Nov. 3d, consisting of 12 riety, to the Indian tribes within the children; there were many more who limits of the United States. Carrywould gladly have joined it, but they ing on this work of benevolence and could not be received. Nov. 28th, charity, we are happy to acknowlthe school had been increased to 20, edge, with much gratitude the aid and a house was provided for its ac- received from the government, in commodation and that of the family, a making and supporting the several little distance from the village.-Mr. establishments made for accomplishFerry expresses the opinion, that there ing their purpose. The object of the is not a spot in that country so eligi-government, and of the Board, is one; ble as Mackinaw for missionary operations. The receipts of the Western Education Society during the month of January were $135, 73. and, indeed, is common to the whole community. We trust, therefore, that the measure adopted by our board will not be deemed an improper interference with the concerns of the government, a thing at which our 182 Memorial of the A. B. C. F. M. to Congress. with one consent, and with their combined influence and energies. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission view these facts as highly encouraging; and it is their earnest desire that the God of nations would speed the course so auspiciously commenced, and give direction, and his blessing, to our joint efforts; add numbers and strength to those already engaged in this good work; convince and reconcile to the object, those who are now opposed to it, and, ultimately, crown our labors with the desired success. feelings would revolt; but only as all our country-secure the forgiveness proper act of co-operation of a por-and favor of Him whom we have oftion of the citizens, in effecting a fended, and to elevate our national great and interesting national object. character, and render it exemplary The hitory of our intercourse within view to the world-is, happily, Indians, from the first settlement that which has been successfully comof this country, contains many facts menced, and which the government honorable to the character of our an of our nation, and Christians of nearcestors, and of our nation-many,ly all denominations, are pursuing also, too many, which are blots on this character; and which, on reflecting on them, cannot fail to fill us with regret. and with concern, lest the Lord of nations, who holds in his hands the scales of equal and everlasting justice, should in his wrath say to us, "As ye have done unto these Indians, so will I requite you." We here allude to the neglect with which these aboriginal tribes have been treated in regard to their civil, moral, and religious improvement-to the manner in which we have, in many, if not most instances,come into possession of their land, and of their peltry; also, to the provocations we have given, in so many instances, to those cruel, desolating, and exterminating wars, which have been successively waged against them; and to the corrupting vices, and fatal diseases, which have been introduced among them, by wicked and unprincipled white people. These acts can be viewed in no other light, than as national sins, aggravated by our knowledge, and their ignorance; our strength and skill in war, and their weakness-by our treacherous abuse of their unsuspicious simplicity, and especially by the light and privileges of christianity, which we enjoy, and of which they are destitute. In these things we are, as a nation, verily guilty, and exposed to the judgments of that just Being, to whom it belongs to avenge the wrongs of the oppressed; under whose perfect government the guilty, who remain impenitent, can never escape just punishment. The only way, we humbly conceive, to avert these judgments which now hang, with threatening aspect over The work in which we are engaged, we are sensible, is not only noble, and godlike, and worthy to command the best energies of our nature, but it is also a great, arduous, and difficult work, requiring patience, forbearance, perseverance, and unremitted and long continued efforts. Here is enough to employ the wisdom, the means, and the power of the nation; and the object is of sufficient magnitude and interest, to command the employment of them all. scope We are aware of the great and only objection, deserving notice, that is made to our project, and which has been made by some men of distinction and influence in our country, whose opinion on other subjects is entitled to respect; and this is that "it is impracticable; that Indians, like some species of birds and beasts, their fellow-inhabitants of the forest,are untameable; and that no means which we can employ, will prepare them to enjoy, with us the blessings of civilization." In answer to this objection, we appeal to facts; facts not distant Memorial of the A. B. C. F. M. to Congress. 183 our Indians should receive such an education as has been mentioned, we conceive, because the civilized is preferable to the savage state; because the Bible, and the religion therein revealed to us, with its ordinances, are blessings of infinite and everlasting value, and which the Indians do as an act of common humanity. The progress of the white population in the territories which were lately the hunting ground of the Indians, is rapid, and probably will continue and increase. Their game, on which they from us-not of a doubtful nature; but which exist, and are fast multiplying among us, under our own eyes, and observation-to facts which cannot be doubted, and in such number and variety, as furnish indubitable evidence of the practicability of educating Indians in such manner, as to prepare them to enjoy all the bless-not now enjoy. It is also desirable ings, and to fulfil all the duties of civilized life. A visit to the Cornwall school for educating heathen youth, and to the several establishments among the Cherokees and Choctaws, (to say nothing of many others to which we might refer,) begun by indefatiga-principally depend for subsistence, is ble and exemplary, Moravian mission- diminishing, and is already gone from aries, and pursued by the American those tribes who remain among us. Board of Commissioners for Foreign In the natural course of things thereMissions, would be sufficient to sat- fore, they will be compelled to obtain isfy any candid inquirer on this sub- their support in the manner we do ject, of the truth of what we have as- ours. They are, to a considerable serted. In these establishments, the extent, sensible of this already. But experiment, as to the practicability they cannot thus live, and obtain their of imparting to Indians an education support till they receive the educasuited to the enjoyments and duties tion for which we plead. There is of civilized life, has been fairly made; no place on the earth, to which they and made, too, by the acknowledge- can migrate, and live in the savage ment of hundreds of our most respect- and hunter state. The Indian tribes able citizens, and among these we are must, therefore be progressively civhappy to refer to the present respect-ilized or successfully perish. ed President of the U. States, (who has been an eye witness in the case,) with complete success. More evidence, on this subject is deemed by your memorialists unnecessary, as the evidence of facts is paramount to all reasonings which can be urged against them. It being admitted, then, that the Indians within our jurisdiction are capable of receiving an education which will prepare them to participate with us in all the blessings which we enjoy, these questions will naturally arise: Is it desirable that they should receive such an education? Are they willing to receive it? Have we the means of imparting it to them? These questions, your meinorialists conceive, may with confidence, be answered in the affirmative. It is desirable that The only objection to their civilization, which has been seriously made, is, that it would destroy our own profitable fur trade. But will it not be destroyed if the white population is suffered to spread, unchecked over the hunting grounds of the Indians? To destroy their game and to leave them to starve and perish. But these consequences aside, can a Christian, who knows the present state of these tribes, their ignorance, and increasing miseries, and who duly estimates his own superior blessings,make this objection? Will any man claiming to possess a common share of humanity and benevolence, say, "Though these poor Indians, if we were so disposed, might be made happy, and we have the means of making them so, yet as the doing of this would deprive a small portion |